Jury trial for a rioter – Sanctions against Russia – Mardi Gras in New Orleans – Hikes for the weekend – Reactions to diminishing mask mandates – Evening statistics
Guy Wesley Reffitt, one of the rioters who attacked the Capitol on January 6th of last year, has been charged with several offences that could possibly subject him to years in prison: obstructing Congress, interfering with law enforcement, entering the Capitol complex with a weapon, and obstruction of justice. Over 750 rioters have been arrested and many of these have been sentenced, but Reffitt’s case is the first that will be tried by a jury. The case will undoubtedly be a tumultuous one. Prosecutors intend to call as witnesses, among others, two of Reffitt’s children, who have alleged that he threatened to shoot them if they cooperated with the federal investigation.
“Picking a jury could be a very difficult process in a case that literally unfolded in the jurors’ backyard,” said Jill Huntley Taylor, a Philadelphia-based jury consultant and trial strategist. “The judge and the attorneys will be looking for people who already have made up their minds. They will likely want to know their political views, whether they posted anything about the event on social media.”
The concerns of the legal representatives are undoubtedly justified. I myself, for instance, would certainly be disqualified if I were to be considered for jury duty in this case. I have long ago made up my mind that the participants of the riot on January 6th are guilty of treason and I have posted numerous entries of this journal that have elaborated such a point of view. But in all fairness even offenders such as Reffitt should have the opportunity to be tried by a jury that has not determined his guilt in advance. The riot has undoubtedly polarized the country; everyone is either passionate about the participants’ condemnation or passionate about their justification. It will be a difficult task for both prosecutors and defense attorneys to obtain jurors who will be quite objective about the matter.
Sanctions against Russia continue to intensify. The EU has banned Russian airlines from its airspace. It will also purchase and deliver weapons to the Ukraine, and has banned various pro-Kremlin media outlets. Turkish officials termed Russia’s invasion as “war,” a categorization that could lead Ankara to close down the Turkish straits to Russian warships, as Ukraine had requested earlier this week. Russians are bracing for an economic downfall tomorrow when the stock market opens, as the ruble has already begun to fall precipitously in value.
And in the meantime more and more Americans are reveling in the gradual return to pre-pandemic conditions. Preparations for Mardi Gras, which had to be canceled in New Orleans last year, are underway. Daily parades have been ongoing since February 23rd. The parades have been shorter than usual due to shortages in the New Orleans police department, but they have not diminished in number. Crowds have been gathering on Bourbon Street, and restaurants and bars are doing a thriving trade. New Orleans, incidentally, still requires people to wear masks indoors and the city has been handing out COVID testkits to residents as the celebrations ramp up, but the celebrations themselves have been unimpeded, in contrast to the absence of activity the previous year.
And on a more modest scale, this is true on a personal level as well. I have mentioned that I led a hike yesterday through the Hazel River area of Shenandoah National Park, this one for the Capital Hiking Club. We encountered many others on the trails, which are by no means the most widely used, even though the day was rather chilly and overcast, at any rate in the morning. I was supposed to lead a hike in this area two weeks ago for the Vigorous Hikers, but the stream crossings proved to be so icy and hazardous that two hikers got wet after slipping on the rocks and I was forced to cut the hike short. I could not in all conscience lead them for over a dozen miles in sub-freezing temperatures after that occurred. But the crossings yesterday, though not without challenges, were quite manageable. The hike is not remarkable for its panoramic views, but glimpses booth of Buck Hollow and the Hazel River valley could be seen throughout, particularly on the White Rocks Trail.
Today I went with RS and two others in Brambleton Regional Park, a delightful circuit around a reservoir, the largest body of water in Northern Virginia. The day was clear and considerably warmer than yesterday, the water was of a deep marine blue, and numerous waterfowl, including gulls and various raptors, flew overhead perpetually. Towards the end we came across a feeder on which a bluebird was perched, as well as a series of beehives in an apiary close to the trailhead. Here too we encountered numerous hikers on the trail, and bikers as well – not surprisingly, for it was a beautiful day and the trail is within easy access to those who may not care to drive the distances required to reach the Blue Ridge Mountains or the Massanuttens.
During this hike we spoke about the easing of the mask mandates, all of us agreeing that it was prudent to continue to wear masks in stores and other indoor encounters even though such mandates are no longer recommended for the counties in which we live (the hikers in the group included members of Loudoun, Fairfax, and Montgomery Counties, as well as DC, all of which are currently rated as low-risk). “I intend to wear a mask in stores from now on,” one of the hikers said, “no matter how low the COVID levels are.” As I have noted, many in various East Asian cities have worn masks in stores and even out of doors in cities such as Beijing, where the amount of pollution and the fierce dust storms impose an additional strain on the lungs, years before the pandemic started. So my fellow-hiker’s resolution is by no means as paranoid as it might sound.
Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide:435,652,184; # of deaths worldwide: 5,967,370; # of cases U.S.: 80,566,788; # of deaths; U.S.: 973,052.